U.S. patent application number 10/182809 was filed with the patent office on 2003-01-02 for aeration and deaeration device for the fuel tank of an internal combustion engine.
Invention is credited to Auernhammer, Helmut, Bartz, Dirk, Hauke, Horst, Morgillo, Ivano, Zelssmann, Hagen.
Application Number | 20030000505 10/182809 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7665821 |
Filed Date | 2003-01-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030000505 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Auernhammer, Helmut ; et
al. |
January 2, 2003 |
Aeration and deaeration device for the fuel tank of an internal
combustion engine
Abstract
An aeration and deaeration device for the fuel tank (1) of an
internal combustion engine (6) in which the aeration and deaeration
are performed through an adsorption filter, the adsorption filter
can be regenerated by backwashing with atmospheric air, the
backwashing air is sent to the air intake area of the internal
combustion engine, the composition of the backwashing air is
determined and taken into account in control of the combustion
process taking place inside the engine, should permit backwashing
of the adsorption filter which has an influence on the composition
of the engine exhaust gas. To this end, such a device is
characterized by the following features: a sensor (9) which detects
selected substance data and/or state data on the purging air is
provided in a purging air line (5) carrying purging air into the
intake area of an internal combustion engine (6), the area of the
purging air line (5) containing the sensor (9) can be switched
together with the interior of the adsorption filter (4) as a forced
flow circulation line, for turning the circulation line on and off,
a 3/2-way valve (8) is situated in the purging air line (5)
downstream from the sensor (9), its one outlet leading to the
outside of the circulation line and its other outlet leading back
to the adsorption filter (4) through a bypass line (7) running
parallel to the purging air line (5).
Inventors: |
Auernhammer, Helmut;
(Hottingen, DE) ; Bartz, Dirk; (Koln, DE) ;
Hauke, Horst; (Waiblingen, DE) ; Morgillo, Ivano;
(Bueringen, DE) ; Zelssmann, Hagen; (Herrenberg,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WILLIAM COLLARD
COLLARD & ROE, P.C.
1077 NORTHERN BOULEVARD
ROSLYN
NY
11576
US
|
Family ID: |
7665821 |
Appl. No.: |
10/182809 |
Filed: |
August 1, 2002 |
PCT Filed: |
December 1, 2001 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/DE01/04553 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
123/520 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F02D 41/003 20130101;
F02M 25/0836 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
123/520 |
International
Class: |
F02M 033/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 4, 2000 |
DE |
100 60 350.5 |
Claims
1. An aeration and deaeration device of the fuel tank (1) of an
internal combustion engine (6) in which the aeration and deaeration
are performed through an adsorption filter (4), the adsorption
filter (4) can be regenerated by backwashing with atmospheric air,
the backwashing air is added in particular to the air intake area
of the internal combustion engine (6), the composition of the
backwashing air is detected, and in the case of a supply to the air
intake area of the internal combustion engine (6), this is taken
into account in the control of the combustion process taking place
inside the engine (6), characterized by the features a sensor (9)
which detects selected substance and/or state data on the purging
air is provided in a purging air line (5) carrying purging air into
the intake area of an internal combustion engine (6), the area of
the purging air line (5) containing the sensor (9) can be switched
together with the interior of the adsorption filter (4) as a forced
flow circulation line, for turning the circulation line on and off,
a 3/2-way valve (8) is situated in the purging air line (5)
downstream from the sensor (9), its one outlet leading to the
outside of the circulation line and its other outlet leading back
to the adsorption filter (4) through a bypass line (7) running
parallel to the purging air line (5), with the circulation line
turned on, the lines (2', 2") leading to the tank (1) and the
atmosphere are blocked by the cutoff valves (11, 12).
2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a
delivery pump (10) is provided in the purging air line (5) upstream
from the 3/2-way valve.
3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the
bypass line (7) opens into a flow area of the adsorption filter (4)
situated between the inflow and outflow sides, so that only one
corresponding partial area of the adsorption filter packing facing
the outflow side facing the sensor (9) is situated in the
circulating flow path.
4. The device according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the sensor (9) detects the hydrocarbon
content, the volume flow and the temperature of the backwashing
air.
5. The device according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the sensor (9) is integrated into an
electronic device in which the values detected by this sensor (9)
are processed and relayed to a central engine control.
6. The device according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the electronic device, including the sensor
(9), is connected to a pressure and/or filling level sensor which
detects the pressure and/or filling level of the tank (1).
7. A method of operating the device according to one of the
preceding claims, characterized by the features the adsorption
filter (4) is regenerated only after a determination of the loading
state by the circulation flow, on initiation of the regeneration,
the loading state of the adsorption filter determined previously is
taken into account by the engine control to prevent a disturbance
in the exhaust gas state due to the purging air, the loading of the
purging air is determined by the sensor during the entire period of
regeneration and is taken into account as an influencing variable
by the engine control.
8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the
degree of tank filling is at least a trigger and/or one of various
prerequisites for inducing backwashing of the adsorption filter.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to an aeration and deaeration device
for the fuel tank of an internal combustion engine according to the
preamble of patent claim 1.
[0002] Such a device is known from German Patent 198 13 321 A1.
[0003] This invention relates to the problem of determining the
composition of the backwashing air more easily and in particular to
be able to take this into account with regard to changes during
backwashing operation. It should also be possible in engine control
to take into account the volume flow and temperature in addition to
the composition of the backwashing air.
[0004] This problem is solved by an embodiment of a generic device
according to the characterizing features of patent claim 1.
[0005] Expedient and advantageous embodiments are the object of the
subclaims, which also concern methods executable using this
device.
[0006] This invention is based essentially on the general idea of
temporarily passing an air flow in circulation through the packing
of the adsorption filter and thereby determine the loading state by
means of a sensor mounted in the circulation. Regeneration of the
adsorption filter by backwashing may be performed in this way as a
function of the loading state determined previously. If, in
circulating flow, the loading state detected on the adsorption
filter is such that regeneration by backwashing is necessary or
desirable, then the same sensor that detected the loading state of
the adsorption filter in circulating flow continuously determines
the composition of the fluid removed from the circulation line. The
fluid leaving the circulation line, i.e., the loaded rinsing air,
is sent in particular to the air intake area of the engine.
Simultaneously with determination of the composition of the
backwashing air, which in principle involves only the hydrocarbon
content, the volume flow and temperature of the backwashing air can
also be determined. All such state data detected can be used for
engine control in supplying purging air into the air intake area of
the engine, so that there is no influence on the combustion process
that would interfere with the exhaust gas composition during the
period when the purging air is being fed into the combustion
process. The latter measures, however, are not necessary in this
form if the purging air is added directly to the engine exhaust,
for example, as is possible in a known manner.
[0007] To determine the loading of the adsorption filter with
hydrocarbons, it may be sufficient that only a partial area of the
filter guide is situated inside the flow circulation which is
connected actively for the determination of loading.
[0008] The sensor which detects the substance properties and
optionally the flow properties and state properties of the purging
air may be integrated into an electronic device in which the data
detected is processed (further) for forwarding to a central engine
control. Sensors that detect the filling level and the pressure
inside the tank, namely a pressure sensor and a filling level
sensor, may be connected to this electronic device. Therefore,
there is an extra electronic device which is separate from the
central engine electronics and is connected only to it and may
compile all the measurement and control data pertaining to the tank
and its aeration and deaeration. This separate electronic device
may be part of the adsorption filter, so that an easily handled
adsorption filter module is created.
[0009] An exemplary embodiment, which is explained in greater
detail below, is illustrated in the drawing; in this embodiment,
the backwashing air is sent to the air intake area of the internal
combustion engine.
[0010] The drawing includes only one figure, namely:
[0011] FIG. 1 a flow chart of an aeration and deaeration device of
a fuel tank having a regenerable adsorption filter.
[0012] A fuel tank 1 is connected to the atmosphere via an aeration
and deaeration device 2', 2" with a dust filter 3 connected in
between. With partial area 2', the aeration and deaeration line
coming from tank 1 opens into an adsorption filter 4 which is
backwashable for regeneration. The connection between this filter 4
and the atmosphere is formed by area 2" of the aeration and
deaeration line.
[0013] For backwashing filter 4 with air from the atmosphere, a
purging air line 5 leads into the intake air area of an internal
combustion engine 6. A bypass line 7 branches off from a flow area
situated between the inlet and outlet openings of the aeration and
deaeration line 2', 2", to the purging air line 5, which opens into
a 3/2-way valve 8. A sensor 9 and a delivery pump 10 are situated
between the 3/2-way valve 8 and the adsorption filter 4.
[0014] Cutoff valves 11 and 12 are provided in the individual areas
2' and 2" of the aeration and deaeration line.
[0015] The sensor 9 may be connected to a filling level sensor 13
which detects the filling level of the tank 1 and a pressure sensor
14 which detects the pressure inside the tank.
[0016] The device described above functions as follows.
Aeration and Deaeration Operation of the Fuel Tank
[0017] In deaeration and aeration operation of tank 1, the cutoff
valves 11 and 12 are opened, so that fluid may flow through the
adsorption filter 4 in both directions for aeration and
deaeration.
Regeneration of the Adsorption Filter by Backwashing
[0018] The device described here makes it possible to make a
backwashing depend on the degree of loading of filter 4 with
hydrocarbons. To determine the degree of loading, a circulating air
stream is passed through the filter 4 according to certain
specifications, which may depend only on time. The flow paths of
the air circulation are determined by the purging air line 5, the
sensor 9, the delivery pump 10, the 3/2-way valve 8, the
backwashing line 7 and a partial area of the packing of adsorption
filter 4. To activate the circulating flow, the delivery pump 10 is
turned on while the cutoff valves 11 and 12 are closed. With sensor
9, the hydrocarbon loading of the packing of the adsorption filter
4 may be determined.
[0019] If the device is operated so that backwashing is to be
performed at a certain loading state of filter 4, then backwashing
is initiated whenever a corresponding loading threshold value has
been detected by the sensor 9. The backwashing is then initiated by
switching the 3/2-way valve and opening the cutoff valve 11 after
the state data on the purging air as measured by sensor 9 have
already been sent to the central engine control. The state data on
the rinsing air, namely in particular the hydrocarbon content, the
volume flow and temperature, are sent through the sensor 9 to the
central engine control during the entire purging air operation, so
that changes of state in the engine control can be taken into
account continuously.
[0020] In this way, it is possible to completely suppress an
interfering influence of the purging air on the exhaust gas
composition by taking into account the state data of the purging
air during purging air operation with the help of the engine
control.
[0021] Backwashing of the adsorption filter 4 can also be made
dependent on the degree of tank filling by coupling the filling
level data on tank 1 to the state data on the purging air detected
in sensor 9 and relaying this data jointly to the central engine
control. For example, it is fundamentally possible at a certain
degree of emptying of tank 1 to perform backwashing of the filter 4
independently of the degree of loading of the filter.
[0022] With the device described here, it is also possible to
perform a leakage test on tank 1 and its inlet and outlet lines,
including the adsorption filter 4 by switching the 3/2-way valve to
circulation flow, turning on the delivery pump 10, closing the
cutoff valve 11 and opening the cutoff valve 12.
[0023] The sensor 9 may be part of an electronic device, which is
also used to receive and process further the tank filling level
data and pressure data, in addition to receiving and further
processing of the state data on the purging air. This electronic
device may be integrated into the housing of the filter 4 together
with the valves 11 and 12 and the delivery pump 8 and the 3/2-way
valve. Thus, even extremely short lines 5 and 7 are achieved
through corresponding integration into the filter 4.
[0024] Essentially the circulation flow of the purging gas
according to this invention is also suitable for the case in which
the loading state of the adsorption filter is to be measured only
as a function of certain time and/or state data in order to be able
to determine the prerequisite for the required backwashing. Such a
prerequisite may consist, for example, of exceeding a predetermined
load limit value at which backwashing is to be performed. The
backwashing air may be sent further in various ways, i.e.,
including directly into the exhaust gas, for example.
* * * * *